"Asthma"

After numerous spells in Prince of Wales hospital for issues relating to my breathing, a senior clinician.  began prescribing Mepolizumab 100mg (Nucala) to me. This is an injection every 4 weeks which requires a pre-approval process in Tasmania. This process takes approximately 6 weeks to complete each time a new prescription is raised. I'm quite conscious of the time it takes in ordering the actual medication, that I endeavour to be proactive in organizing a new prescription, when my current one is ending.

Two months ago, afterreceiving my Nucala injection, I phoned a staff member to inform them that I had one repeat on my prescription and that I would need a new prescription in 2 months time.

One month later, post receiving my monthly injection of Nucala, I once again called the staff member to inform them that I had received my last injection and would need a new prescription.

Two weeks later I called again to inform them that I needed a new prescription.

The following week I was concerned that I would not have the new prescription in time for my monthly injection, so I phoned again to request the prescription again.

During this conversation, this staff member made it quite clear that they were not happy working for the senior clinician., as they believed that the clinician's processes were inferior to other Doctors that they are currently working for. What was most alarming during the call, was that this staff member expressed that they would not be completing the script for me, as requested by the senior clinician as this is apparently outside their normal duties. During this phone call, they mentioned that their relative was currently ill and in hospital.

I hoped that this staff member was having a bad day and would complete the script for the due date last month. However, I was not surprised when I did not receive the new prescription. Therefore, I decided to go directly to the hospital to get the prescription and simultaneously receive my monthly injection of Nucala.

The day after the medication due date I went to the Prince of Wales Hospital and was greeted by a different staff member who works in the respiratory department .who told me the senior clinician was away this week I informed them that I still had not received my prescription from the first staff member and that I needed it in order to receive my monthly injection of Nucala.

The first staff member emerged angrily and began to yell to the effect that they had never said that they would not complete the prescription and paperwork for the senior clinician. This was both concerning and perplexing, as I had only told this second staff member I had not received this prescription due to  the first staff member's refusal to do this work which was due the previous day

I currently have asthma, COPD, emphysema, aspergillus, one half of a lung removed and breathing capacity of 27-29% on a good day. As you can imagine, I struggle to breathe and I take time to form short sentences. During the verbal altercation with the first staff member, I asked them what would happen to their relative if they did not get their medication whilst in hospital. Which was an attempt to make the staff member realise, that by not issuing the prescription, that I may die too. However, this person seemed unwilling or, in my opinion, incapable of the emotional intelligence to understand this.

I felt this first staff member's colleague then also verbally abused me for upsetting their colleague.

At the writing of this email, I'm now nearly a week overdue on receiving my monthly injection and still have not received the prescription. I am deeply concerned for my welfare and the welfare of others. How many other patients are missing vital medication, as this staff member apparently does not want to write the prescription required.